Firefighters are treating a ‘moss fire’ in Annaghmore as arson, with reports suggesting a caravan may have been deliberately set ablaze.
Emergency services were called to reports of fire in the Blackisland Road area of Portadown last night (July 27) at approximately 7.26pm.
NI Fire and Rescue service (NIFRS) confirmed that three appliances attended the scene, with one from Portadown, one from Armagh and one from Lurgan.
An Armagh Service Support vehicle and Water Tanker from Warrenpoint station were also called to the scene.
For four hours, firefighters battled the blaze using three jets to extinguish the fire.
They left the scene by 11.46pm and now believe the source of the fire to be deliberate ignition.
Sharing footage in the aftermath of the blaze, MLA Jonathan Buckley said the incident “appears to have been started deliberately with the setting on fire of a caravan”.
He issued his sincere thanks to firefighters for their dedication, adding: “They have assured me that they will continue to keep the situation under close surveillance with water appliances still arriving.
“I have been speaking with a number of local residents and will continue to be in the area. If anyone needs assistance, please don’t hesitate to contact me on 07724 034836.”
A resident commenting in a Facebook community group said firefighters had confirmed to them that “the equivalent of five football pitches” has been damaged.
They added: “All from a mindless act of vandalism! It’s really not okay to start fires in a place of such natural beauty!!! I’m not sure what they hoped to achieve!
“I hope the person who did this realises the amount of devastation they have caused never mind the smoke that’s filling peoples homes who live alongside the Moss right along Blackisland Road. And the waste of resources to the NIFRS who are working so hard to keep it out!”
